The present invention is directed to a system for affixing a device to a workpiece, and is especially useful in effecting clinching fastener affixation, such as stapling, of a device to the end of a flexible belt for facilitating configuration of the belt as an endless belt.
Flexible endless belts connected with flexible steel fastening devices at the ends have been known for some time. In such products, there has long been and continues to be a need for a strong, reliable, flexible belt splice for splicing the two ends of the belt together to form an endless belt.
Belting fabrics and polymers have been improved over the years in terms of strength, stability, and reliability, but the staple fastenable belt splice device and its associated staple fastener tooling have not kept pace with the advances in belting fabrics and polymers. Basic problems with staples and their associated staple fastener tooling remain: staples are inconsistent in their clinching; staples experience a broken bridge or central portion intermediate their respective legs during installation; and staples are deflected off-line or out of their intended position.
Such problems require solutions in three major areas: staple design, staple driving device design, and design of a staple anvil to receive the staple and clinch it properly about a workpiece.
Generally available commercial staples used on belt splices are of two basic designs: a round wire design with rounded points and a flat wire design with chisel points.
It is desirable to have a system for establishing clinching affixation which is efficient for commercial production, will not provide a cutting edge on the belting or other workpiece to which the associated fastener is applied, will establish a fastening with sufficient strength to hold the respective fastener clinched to the workpiece under tension, and will be easy to operate. Thus, the staple design, the staple driving device, and the device to receive and deflect the staple to accomplish clinching should all be considered simultaneously.